Collapsible traveling bags



pt. 27, 1 I. L. BRAVERMAN 2,718,943

COLLAPSIBLE TRAVELING BAGS Filed Nov. 3, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. [mi/2y l. imam/274w ATTORNEYS p 7, 1955 I. L- BRAVERMAN 2,718,943

COLLAPSIBLE TRAVELING BAGS Filed NOV. 3, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR. [mi/7y L Braver/77m; BY 8% M xkt Gk ATTORNEYS United States Patent Ofiice 2,718,943 Patented Sept. 27, 1955 COLLAPSIBLE TRAVELING BAGS Irving L. Braverman, Brooklyn, N. Y. Application November 3, 1954, Serial No. 466,495 10 Claims. (Cl. 190-41) The present invention relates, in general, to traveling bags and, in particular, to a traveling bag or grip which is constructed and arranged so that it may be readily reduced in size for storage, or for other purposes, and so that it may be quickly and easily set up into operative condition, in which it is ready for use.

One object of the present invention is the provision of a collapsible traveling bag having a flexible casing, provision being made to maintain the casing in the normal bag defining formation thereof and to provide rigid backings for the top and bottom walls of the bag.

Another object is the provision of a collapsible bag having a flexible covering, which bag is provided with a supporting or bag defining framework which serves to reinforce the bag at those portions thereof which are most subjected to wear or abuse.

A further object is generally to provide a traveling bag which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture and which is convenient in use and, which, when not used, can be placed within a small space for storage or other purposes.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more fully understood from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.

In the drawings, which illustrate the best mode presently contemplated of carrying out the invention:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a traveling bag or grip pursuant to the present invention, with a portion broken away for purposes of illustration;

Fig. 2 is a bottom View of the bag;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view, on a larger scale, of the framework or supporting structure of the bag, in the extended condition thereof;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view, on an enlarged scale taken on the line 44 of Figure 1;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 55 of Figure 4;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 4;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view, on a larger scale, taken on the line 77 of Figure 1; and

Fig. 8 illustrates the bag in the collapsed condition thereof.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the bag 10 which embodies the present invention, comprises a bag enclosure, or casing, 12 preferably formed of cloth or any other suitable sheet material, which is flexible or pliable and which can be folded. Said casing comprises the top wall 14, the bottom wall 16, the front wall 18, the rear wall and the side walls 22 and 24. It will be noted that the top and bottom walls and the side walls are all formed of a continuous strip of the flexible material and that the front and rear walls, 18 and 20, respectively, are secured at theiradjacent peripheral edges 26 and 28 to said continuous strip, by suitable seams 27 and 29, or in any other suitable manner. The front wall 18 is provided with an access opening 19 which is closed by the releasable closure part or flap 30. Said flap may be closed and opened by a slide fastener or zipper 32 which is provided with a manual operating tab or element 13.

Pursuant to the present invention, the bag is provided with the framework generally indicated by the reference numeral 34 in Figure 3 for extending the bag from the collapsed condition thereof, as illustrated in Figure 8, to the operating condition thereof, as illustrated in Figure 1, or for effecting the collapse of the bag from said latter position. As here shown, the framework 34 comprises the opposed backing or stiffening members 36 and 38 and the open frame extending or spacing members 40 and 42, which are pivotally carried by the member 38. More specifically, the backing members 36 and 38 are each formed of a suitable relatively stifi sheet material, for example and not by way of limitation, wood, fiber board, plywood, etc. The upper member 36 is secured to the inner surface of the upper wall 14 so as to underly the latter for substantially the entire area thereof to provide a reinforcing backing therefor.

Pursuant to a feature of the present invention, the securement of the upper backing member 36 to the top wall 14 is effected by the handle assembly 44 provided on the top wall. The handle assembly 44 comprises a looped handle 46, preferably formed of leather or similar material, the opposite ends of which are looped about the bars 48 and 50, respectively. Each bar is mounted by a pair of laterally spaced posts 52 and 54. The posts extend through a metallic reinforcing strip 56, disposed on the outer surface of the upper wall 14, through a bore 68 in backing member 36, and through a metallic reinforcing strip 58 which abuts the inner surface of the backing member. Each post is riveted over its associated strip 58, as indicated at 62 in Figure 4, whereby to secure the post to the backing member 36 and to secure said backing member to the top wall 14.

In order to secure the lower backing member 38 to the inner surface of the bottom wall 16, said backing member is provided with the bores 64 through each of which there extends a rivet 66 which is riveted over on the inner surface of said backing member, as best illustrated in Figure 4. Each rivet is provided with an enlarged rounded head 68 which forms a nub or foot for supporting the bag when the latter is disposed in the position thereof illustrated in Figure 1.

In order to mount the open frame spacing members 40 and 42, the lower backing member 38 is provided with the extensions 70 and 72 at the opposite ends thereof. Said extensions are preferably formed of metal, or other suitable rigid material, and are secured to the backing member 38 as by rivets 74 (Figure 4). The extensions 70 and 72 provide reinforcements for the lower corners of the bag 14, defined by the side walls 22 and 24 and the bottom wall 16. As here shown, the extensions 70 and 72 are arcuate in formation to provide rounded corners for the bag. Due to the rigid material of which they are formed, the extensions 70 and 72 serve to reinforce the corners at the bottom of the bag and to minimize the wear or abuse thereof, in the same manner that the backing members reinforce the top and bottom walls respectively. It will be noted that the corner extensions serve to reinforce substantially the entire area of each lower corner of the fabric casing 12 in the same manner that the backing members serve to reinforce substantially the entire area of the top or bottom wall, as the case may be. Similar end extensions 78 and 80, provided at the opposite ends respectively of the upper backing member 36, are riveted to the latter as by rivets 82. It will be noted that the extensions 78 and 80 are also arcuate in formation to provide for arcuate corners between the top wall 14 and the side walls 22 and 24 of the flexible casing 12. As described with reference to the lower corner extensions 70 and 72, the upper corner extensions 78 and 80 also serve to reinforce the upper corners of the flexible casing throughout the entire area thereof and constitute a rigid backing for said upper corners.

Each of the extensions 70 and 72 is provided with the looped portions 84 and 86 which receive the inturned conronting ends 88 and 90, respectively, of the frame extensions 40 and 42, respectively, to constitute hinges for pivotally mounting said frame extensions. Consequently, it will be apparent that each wire frame 40 and 42 may be swung between the full line extended or operative position thereof, as illustrated in Figure 3, and the broken line collapsed or in operative position thereof, as shown in said figure for frame 42.

In order to releasably secure the frames 40 and 42 in the extended condition thereof, provision is made for a resilient snap-engaging device 92, provided on the upper backing member 36, for each extension frame. As best illustrated in Figures 3, 4, and 6, each snap-engaging device 92 comprises a leaf spring 94 secured to the inner surface of the backing member 36, as by the rivets 96. The spring 94 is provided with a refiexed free end 93 which extends into a slot 100 defined in the backing member 36. Said free end is normally positioned outwardly of the slot 100 in the collapsed condition of the bag. However, when the extending frames 40 and 42 are moved into the operative positions thereof, the cross piece 102 of each frame engages the associated spring member 94 to urge the free end 98 into the slot 100, as the frame is moved into the fully extended position thereof. When the side frame reaches its fully extended position, it snaps past the spring 94 to the position thereof illustrated in Figure 4, in the case of frame 42, the spring being tensioned thereby to releasably lock the side frame in the illustrated position. The cross piece 102 on each of the frames 40 and 42, is provided with a V-shaped formation 104 which constitutes a finger piece to facilitate the gripping of the cross piece for pulling the associated frame inwardly from the extended position thereof, so as to disengage the frame from the spring latch 92.

Pursuant to another feature of the present invention, the corner reinforcing extensions 78 and 80 carried by the upper backing member 36 constitute detents to limit the movement of the side frames 40 and 42, respectively, in a direction outwardly of the casing 12 when said side frames are moved into the operative position thereof. In this connection, it will be noted that each side frame is provided with an additional cross piece 106. Each of the extensions 78 and 80 is provided with an inturned free end 108 which is disposed in the path of movement of the cross piece 105 provided on the associated end frame 40 or 42, as the case may be. It will be noted in this connection that each of the end frames is curved between the cross pieces 102 and 106 thereof so as to conform to the arcuate curvature of the associated end piece. Consequently, it will be apparent that when the end frame members are moved from their collapsed position to their extended position, the detent portions 108 will engage the cross pieces 106 thereof, as best illustrated in Figure 4, to limit the outward movement of the frame members so as to prevent injury to the flexible casing 12, and this occurs when the cross piece 102 snaps past the associated spring 94.

Pursuant to another feature of the present invention, provision is made for a pocket 110 defined by the pocket forming members 112 and 114. As best illustrated in Figure 7, an opening 116 is defined in the front wall 18 adjacent to the lower backing member 38. The pocket defining members 112 and 114 are secured, at one end thereof, to the front wall 18 as by the stitching 118-118 and are secured together at the opposite ends thereof as by the stitching 120. A slide fastener or zipper 122 is also secured across the opening 116, as by the stitching 118-418, and is provided with a manual operating tab or element 124. It will be noted that the pocket 110 overlies the lower backing member 38 and the latter serves as a support for the pocket especially, when filled with comparatively heavy articles, such as shoes or jars or bottles of toilet articles. It will be noted from Figure 1 that when the slide fastener 122 completely closes the pocket 110, and when the slide fastener 32 completely closes the opening 19 in the wall 18 for the flap 30, the tabs 13 and 124 are adjacent each other so that they may both be locked by a single hasp lock 126, by passing the hasp through the usual openings provided inthe finger tabs 13 and 124.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it will be understood that various changes may be made in the present invention without departing from the underlying idea or principles of the invention within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A travelling bag, comprising a casing having a pair of foldable opposed side walls, a pair of foldable opposed end walls, and top and bottom walls, top and bottom backing members secured to said top and bottom walls, respectively, and stiffening the latter throughout their respective areas, stiffening members pivotally secured to one of said backing members at points adjacent the opposed walls, respectively, of one of said pairs and engaging the other backing member in releasable relation therewith, and means for releasably holding said stiffening members immovably in said engagement with said other backing member so that they and said two backing members are immovable with respect to each other and thereby conjointly form a substantially rigid frame for said casing, said stiffened bottom and top walls of the casing being readily movable toward each other with concomitant folding of said pairs of walls when said stiffening members are released from said other backing member.

2. A travelling bag, comprising a casing having a pair of foldable opposed side walls, a pair of foldable opposed end walls, and top and bottom walls, top and bottom backing members secured to said top and bottom walls, respectively, and stiffening the latter substantially throughout their respective areas, stiffening members pivotally secured to one of said backing members at points adjacent the opposed walls, respectively, of one of said pairs, and releasable holding means comprising resiliently movable abutment members secured to said other backing member and having free ends facing toward said opposed Walls, respectively, of said one of said pairs to abut the adjacent ends of said stiffening members, respectively, to releasably prevent movement of the latter toward each other, so that they and said two backing members conjointly form a substantially rigid frame for said casing, said stiffened bottom and top walls of the casing being readily movable toward each other with concomitant folding of said pairs of walls when said stiffening members are released from said other backing member.

3. A travelling bag, comprising a casing having a pair of foldable opposed side walls, a pair of foldable opposed end walls, and top and bottom walls, top and bottom backing members secured to said top and bottom walls, respectively, and stiffening the latter substantially throughout their respective areas, said bottom backing member having end portions extending toward said top backing member and lying adjacent to the lower portions of one of said pair of foldable walls and conforming to the adjacent surfaces thereof, respectively, and stiffening members having lower ends pivotally secured to said end portions, respectively, of said bottom backing member and having free upper end portions extending toward each other, and means for releasably securing said upper end portions in releasable fixed relation with said top backing member, so that said casing-wall backing and stiffening members conjointly form a substantially rigid frame for said casing, said stiffened bottom and top walls of the easing being readily movable toward each other with concomitant folding of said pairs of walls when said stiffening members are released from said other backing member.

4. A travelling bag, comprising a casing having a pair of foldable opposed side walls, a pair of foldable opposed end walls, and top and bottom walls, top and bottom backing members secured to said top and bottom walls, respectively, and stiffening the latter substantially throughout their respective areas, said bottom backing member having end portions extending toward said top backing member and lying adjacent to the lower portions of one of said pair of foldable walls and conforming to the adjacent surfaces thereof, respectively, and stiffening members having lower ends pivotally secured to said end portions, respectively, of said bottom backing member and having free upper end portions extending toward each other, and means for releasably securing said upper end portions in releasable fixed relation with said top backing member to releasably prevent movement of said stiffening members toward each other and also away from each other, so that they and said two backing members conjointly form a substantially rigid frame or fixed peripheral contour for said casing, said stiffened bottom and top walls of the casing being readily movable toward each other with concomitant folding of said pairs of walls when said'stiifening members are released from said other backing member.

5. A travelling bag, comprising a casing having a pair of foldable opposed side walls, a pair of foldable opposed end walls, and top and bottom walls, top and bottom backing members secured to said top and bottom walls, respectively, and stiffening the latter, stiffening members pivotally secured to one of said backing members at points adjacent the opposed walls, respectively, of one of said pairs and having free upper end portions extending toward each other in fixed releasable relation with said top backing member, and releasable holding means comprising resiliently movable members secured to said top backing member and having free ends facing toward said opposed walls, respectively, of said one of said pairs to abut the adjacent ends of said stiffening members, respectively, to releasably prevent movement of the latter toward each other, so that they and said two backing members conjointly hold said walls of the casing in bag defining relation, said top and bottom walls of the casing being readily movable toward each other, with concomitant folding of said opposed walls, when said upper ends of said stiffening members are released from said abutment holding members and the stiffening members are pivotally moved toward each other.

6. A travelling bag, comprising a casing having a pair of foldable opposed side walls, a pair of foldable opposed end walls, and top and bottom walls,top and bottom backing members secured to said top and bottom walls, respectively, and stiffening the latter, said bottom backing member having end portions extending toward said top backing member and lying adjacent to the lower portions of one of said pair of foldable walls and conforming to the adjacent surfaces thereof, respectively, and stiffening members having lower ends pivotally secured to said end portions, respectively, of said bottom backing member and having free upper end portions extending toward each other in releasable fixed relation with said top backing member, and releasable holding means comprising resiliently movable members secured to said top backing member and having free ends facing toward said opposed walls, respectively, of said one of said pairs to abut the adjacent ends of said stiffening members, respectively, to releasably prevent movement of the latter toward each other, so that they and said two backing members conjointly hold said walls of the casing in bag defining relation, said top and bottom walls of the casing being readily movable toward each other, with concomitant folding of said opposed walls, when said upper ends of said stiffening members are released from said abutment holding members and the stiffening members are pivotally moved toward each other.

7. A travelling bag, comprising a casing having a pair of foldable opposed side walls, a pair of foldable opposed end walls, and top and bottom walls, top and bottom backing members secured to said top and bottom walls, respectively, and stiffening the latter, said bottom backing member having end portions extending toward said top backing member and lying adjacent to the lower portions of one of said pair of foldable walls and conforming to the adjacent surfaces thereof, respectively, and stiffening members having lower ends pivotally secured to said end portions, respectively, of said bottom backing member and having free upper end portions extending toward each other in releasable fixed relation with said top backing member, and releasable holding means comprising resiliently movable members secured to said top backing member and having free ends facing toward said opposed walls, respectively, of said one of said pairs to abut the adjacent ends of said stiffening members, respectively, to releasably prevent movement of the latter toward each other, so that they and said two backing members con: jointly hold said walls of the casing in bag defining relation, said top backing member having portions whichare releasably engageable with the upper ends of said stiffening members to prevent movement of the latter away from each other when their upper ends are engaged by said resilient holding means, said top and bottom walls of the casing being readily movable toward each other, with concomitant folding of said opposed walls, when said upper ends of said stiffening members are released from said abutment holding members and the stiffening members are pivotally moved toward each other.

8. A travelling bag, comprising a casing having a pair of foldable opposed side walls, a pair of foldable opposed end walls, and top and bottom walls, top and bottom backing members secured to said top and bottom walls, respectively, and stiffening the latter substantially throughout their respective areas, said bottom backing member having end portions extending toward said top backing member and lying adjacent to the lower portions of one of said pair of foldable walls and conforming to the adjacent surfaces thereof, respectively, said top backing member having stiff end portions extending toward said bottom backing member adjacent to the upper portions of said one pair of foldable walls and conforming to the adjacent surfaces thereof, and stifiening members for said one pair of foldable walls having lower ends pivotally secured to said upwardly extending end portions of said bottom backing member and having upper end portions overlapping the downwardly extending stiff end portions, respectively, of said top backing member and thereby prevented from pressing against said one pair of walls, and abutment members on said top backing member releasably engageable with the upper ends of said stitfening members to releasably prevent movement of the latter toward each other, so that they and said two backing members conjointly form a substantially rigid frame for said casing, said stiffened bottom and top walls of the casing being readily movable toward each other with concomitant folding of said pairs of walls when said stiffening members are released from said other backing member.

9. A collapsible bag, comprising a casing formed of flexible material and having top, bottom, front, back and side walls, rigid backing members substantially coextensive with said top and bottom walls and secured thereto, respectively, a pair of frame members pivotally mounted at one end to opposite end portions of one of said backing members adjacent said side walls and being in peripheral conformity with the latter, said frame members being pivotally movable between a folded condition in which said frame members are disposed in overlying relation to said one backing member, whereby said backing members are movable towards each other for collapsing said casing, and an expanded bag-defining condition in which said frame members are disposed adjacent said side walls for retaining said backing members in spaced apart relation and for defining with the latter an internal rigid frame extending peripherally of said casing for supporting the latter and the contents thereof, and complementary provisions provided on the end portions of said frame members opposite said pivotally mounted ends thereof and on portions of the other of said backing members, respectively, for releasably retaining said frame members in said expanded condition, said retaining provisions on said other backing member comprising fixed and releasably movable abutments thereon engageable with each of said opposite end portions of said frame members for releasably holding the latter against movement relative to said backing members.

10. A collapsible bag, comprising a flexible casing defining an internal article-receiving compartment, said casing having opposite pairs of peripheral Walls and a pair of opposite side walls with one of said pairs of peripheral walls having rigid backing members secured thereto on the inner surface thereof and being substantially coextensive therewith, a pair of spaced frame members pivotally mounted to one of said rigid backing members adjacent the other of said pairs of peripheral walls, respectively, said frame members being pivotally movable between a folded condition in which said frame members are disposed in overlying relation to said one backing member and an expanded bag-defining condition in which said frame members are disposed adjacent said other pair of peripheral walls for holding said backing members in spaced apart relation and thereby holding said other pair of walls in extended condition, and means for releasably engaging said frame members to the other 8 of said backing members for retaining said casing in said expanded bag-defining condition, each of said backing members terminating in rigid arcuate end portions conforming to the contour of companion portions of said casing in the region of the opposite ends of said opposite pairs of peripheral walls whereby to form backing portions therefor, said frame members being pivotally mounted on said arcuate end portions of said one backing member, said arcuate end portions of said other backing member having formations adapted to limit the pivotal movement of said frame members in a direction to expand said casing to said bag-defining condition, and said frame members having provisions interengageable with said formations to limit said pivotal movement of said frame member in said direction.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,387,597 Fetters Aug. 16, 1921 1,434,967 Silber Nov. 7, 1922 2,016,520 Short Oct. 8, 1935 2,035,493 Mees Mar. 31, 1936 2,362,807 Dresner Nov. 14, 1944 2,531,302 Schwennicke Nov. 21, 1950 2,606,636 Braverman Aug. 12, 1952 2,670,854 Einhorn Mar. 2, 1954 2,684,135 Cart July 20, 1954 2,689,631 Marks Sept. 21, 1954 2,710,084 Braverman June 7, 1955 

